天锡小说网

第21部分（第1页）

t　the　station　in　Paris。　That　was　clearly　not　part　of　the　preconceived　plan　…　you　agree　with　me；　Knighton？〃

The　secretary　started。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr　Van　Aldin。　I　was　not　listening。〃

〃Day…dreaming；　eh？〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃Thats　not　like　you。　I　believe　that　girl　has　bowled　you　over。〃

Knighton　blushed。

〃She　is　a　remarkably　nice　girl；〃　said　Van　Aldin　thoughtfully；　〃very　nice。　Did　you　happen　to　notice　her　eyes？〃

〃Any　man；〃　said　Knighton；　〃would　be　bound　to　notice　her　eyes。〃

Chapter　21

AT　THE　TENNIS

Several　days　had　elapsed。　Katherine　had　been　for　a　walk　by　herself　one　morning；　and　came　back　to　find　Lenox　grinning　at　her　expectantly。

〃Your　young　man　has　been　ringing　you　up；　Katherine！〃

〃Who　do　you　call　my　young　man？〃

〃A　new　one　…　Rufus　Van　Aldins　secretary。　You　seem　to　have　made　rather　an　impression　there。　You　are　being　a　serious　breaker　of　hearts；　Katherine。　First　Derek　Kettering；　and　now　this　young　Knighton。　The　funny　thing　is；　that　I　remember　him　quite　well。　He　was　in　Mothers　War　Hospital　that　she　ran　out　here。　I　was　only　a　kid　of　about　eight　at　the　time。〃

〃Was　he　badly　wounded？〃

〃Shot　in　the　leg；　if　I　remember　rightly　…　rather　a　nasty　business。　I　think　the　doctors　messed　it　up　a　bit。　They　said　he　wouldnt　limp　or　anything；　but　when　he　left　here　he　was　still　pletely　dot　and　go　one。〃

Lady　Tamplin　came　out　and　joined　them。

〃Have　you　been　telling　Katherine　about　Major　Knighton？〃　she　asked。　〃Such　a　dear　fellow！　Just　at　first　I　didnt　remember　him　…　one　had　so　many　…　but　now　it　all　es　back。〃

〃He　was　a　bit　too　unimportant　to　be　remembered　before；〃　said　Lenox。　〃Now　that　he　is　a　secretary　to　an　American　millionaire；　it　is　a　very　different　matter。〃

〃Darling！〃　said　Lady　Tamplin　in　her　vague　reproachful　voice。

〃What　did　Major　Knighton　ring　up　about？〃　inquired　Katherine。

〃He　asked　if　you　would　like　to　go　to　the　tennis　this　afternoon。　If　so；　he　would　call　for　you　in　a　car。　Mother　and　I　accepted　for　you　with　empressement。　Whilst　you　dally　with　a　millionaires　secretary；　you　might　give　me　a　chance　with　the　millionaire；　Katherine。　He　is　about　sixty；　I　suppose；　so　that　he　will　be　looking　about　for　a　nice　sweet　young　thing　like　me。〃

〃I　should　like　to　meet　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin　earnestly；　〃one　has　heard　so　much　of　him。　Those　fine　rugged　figures　of　the　Western　world　…〃　she　broke　off　…　〃so　fascinating；〃　she　murmured。

〃Major　Knighton　was　very　particular　to　say　it　was　Mr　Van　Aldins　invitation；〃　said　Lenox。　〃He　said　it　so　often　that　I　began　to　smell　a　rat。　You　and　Knighton　would　make　a　very　nice　pair；　Katherine。　Bless　you；　my　children！〃

Katherine　laughed；　and　went　upstairs　to　change　her　clothes。

Knighton　arrived　soon　after　lunch　and　endured　manfully　Lady　Tamplins　transports　of　recognition。

When　they　were　driving　together　towards　Cannes　he　remarked　to　Katherine：　〃Lady　Tamplin　has　changed　wonderfully　little。〃

〃In　manner　or　appearance？〃

〃Both。　She　must　be；　I　suppose；　well　over　forty；　but　she　is　a　remarkably　beautiful　woman　still。〃

〃She　is；〃　agreed　Katherine。

〃I　am　very　glad　that　you　could　e　today；〃　went　on　Knighton。　〃M。　Poirot　is　going　to　be　there　also。　What　an　extraordinary　little　man　he　is。　Do　you　know　him　well；　Miss　Grey？〃

Katherine　shook　her　head。　〃I　met　him　on　the　train　on　the　way　here。　I　was　reading　a　detective　novel；　and　I　happened　to　say　something　about　such　things　not　happening　in　real　life　…　of　course；　I　had　no　idea　of　who　he　was。〃

〃He　is　a　very　remarkable　person；〃　said　Knighton　slowly；　〃and　has　done　some　very　remarkable　things。　He　has　a　kind　of　genius　for　going　to　the　root　of　the　matter；　and　right　up　to　the　end　no　one　has　any　idea　of　what　he　is　really　thinking。　I　remember　I　was　staying　at　a　house　in　Yorkshire；　and　Lady　Clanravons　jewels　were　stolen。　It　seemed　at　first　to　be　a　simple　robbery；　but　it　pletely　baffled　the　local　police。　I　wanted　them　to　call　in　Hercule　Poirot；　and　said　he　was　the　only　man　who　could　help　them；　but　they　pinned　their　faith　to　Scotland　Yard。〃

〃And　what　happened？〃　said　Katherine　curiously。